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Hepatitis A
Hepatitis
B
Hepatitis C
Prevention
Hepatitis A is highly contagious. Preventing
the spread of the virus involves protecting both yourself and
others from infection.
Protecting yourself
The following measures can help protect you from HAV
infection:
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Receive immune globulin or a hepatitis vaccine.
One way to protect yourself is to receive an injection of
immune globulin — a preparation of antibodies — or a hepatitis
vaccine. Immune globulin provides short-term protection, while
a hepatitis vaccine may protect you for up to 20 years. The
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first vaccines
for hepatitis A in the mid-1990s. These vaccines — Havrix and
Vaqta — contain inactivated forms of HAV and are safe for
children older than 2 years as well as for most adults,
including those with compromised immune systems. At-risk
children younger than 2 years should receive immune globulin.
The vaccine causes only minor side effects, although allergic
reactions can occur. Because it takes four weeks for the
vaccine to take effect, get an immune globulin shot if you're
traveling to a high-risk region before you're fully immunized.
In addition, get a booster shot in six to 12 months.
Another hepatitis vaccine, Twinrix, protects
people age 18 and older against both HAV and the hepatitis B
virus (HBV). Studies have shown Twinrix to be as effective as
the separate HAV and HBV vaccines. The side effects are
usually minor and include soreness at the injection site,
headache and fatigue. These symptoms should disappear within
48 hours.
If you are at high risk of hepatitis A and
don't have health insurance, talk to your state or county
health department. In most areas, free or low-cost vaccines
are available.
If you've already had hepatitis A, you won't
need to be immunized because you've developed your own
protective antibodies. These antibodies won't protect you from
other forms of hepatitis, however.
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Follow safety precautions for international
travelers.
If you're traveling in regions where hepatitis A outbreaks
occur, you can help prevent infection by peeling and washing
all your fresh fruits and vegetables yourself and by avoiding
raw or undercooked meat and fish. Be sure to drink bottled
water and avoid ice cubes in beverages. If bottled water isn't
available, boil tap water for at least 10 minutes before
drinking it. Don't forget to use bottled water for tooth
brushing.
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Practice good hygiene.
Simply washing your hands well and often can help protect you
from infection with a number of viruses and bacteria. Wash
after using the toilet, before preparing food or eating, and
after changing a child's diaper. In addition, don't share
towels, eating utensils or toothbrushes.
Protecting others
If you have hepatitis A, the following measures can help
prevent you from passing the virus to others:
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Avoid sexual activity.
Because many kinds of sexual activity — including oral-anal
and digital-anal contact — can expose your partner to HAV
infection, condoms don't offer adequate protection.
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Wash your hands thoroughly after using the
toilet.
Scrub vigorously for at least 10 seconds and rinse well. If
possible, dry your hands with a disposable towel.
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Use clean utensils.
Keep your utensils separate from those used by other members
of your household. Wash utensils and dishes in a dishwasher or
with plenty of hot, soapy water.
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Don't prepare food for others while you're
actively infected.
You can easily pass this highly contagious infection to other
people.
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